Hey Mr. P

[Sitarro]

What do you think of this pilot? Vodka burner ready for take off!!!! Gotta love the Aussie's sense of humor.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f06npwZpJJs[/YOUTUBE]

[Sitarro]

These Russians must be ex-carrier pilots.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn_pOS6cRGw&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

[Dilloduck]

What do you think of this pilot? Vodka burner ready for take off!!!! Gotta love the Aussie's sense of humor.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f06npwZpJJs[/YOUTUBE]

Hillarious----"we have Smirnoff" !!!

[Dilloduck]

These Russians must be ex-carrier pilots.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn_pOS6cRGw&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

Someone needs to tell them they ain't hooked up to a catapault.

[Mr. P]

I think these guys used very sharp pencils on their takeoff/performance charts! It is a very serious process. When we had hot days and were heavy both pilots would calculate distance separately and then compare the results for errors, sometimes we'd do it more than once. A takeoff on a hot day with a heavy aircraft at the limit of runway length was always tense! You gotta have faith in the charts, yourself, the aircraft, and hope an engine doesn't quit when you need it most.

Sitarro probably knows this, but for the rest, The two MOST dangerous phases of flight are the takeoff and landing phase.

[Sitarro]

I think these guys used very sharp pencils on their takeoff/performance charts! It is a very serious process. When we had hot days and were heavy both pilots would calculate distance separately and then compare the results for errors, sometimes we'd do it more than once. A takeoff on a hot day with a heavy aircraft at the limit of runway length was always tense! You gotta have faith in the charts, yourself, the aircraft, and hope an engine doesn't quit when you need it most.

Sitarro probably knows this, but for the rest, The two MOST dangerous phases of flight are the takeoff and landing phase.

My dad used to say that takeoffs and landings in the P-51 was super critical and definitely separated the men from the boys. Takeoff with too much throttle , too quick, could flip it over. Landings were usually after a round trip to Germany, flak, Messerschmitts, tail dragger and a second trip over the Channel...... always an adventure.

[Mr. P]

My dad used to say that takeoffs and landings in the P-51 was super critical and definitely separated the men from the boys. Takeoff with too much throttle , too quick, could flip it over. Landings were usually after a round trip to Germany, flak, Messerschmitts, tail dragger and a second trip over the Channel...... always an adventure.

Yep, I saw it happen when I first started to fly. The pilot tried to recover from a bad landing and gunned it. The massive torque flipped it right over, they were alive and conscious but trapped upside down when it caught fire..both died.

That reminds me of a poster I used to have that said: "Aviation is not inherently dangerous, but to an even greater extent than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect"